6 PREFACE. 



We have been able to find only very meager accounts of any previous 

 investigations in this field. A little has been done in Australia and 

 in India. The results of these investigations are not in accord with 

 the experience of stockmen in this country. In reporting on feeding 

 trials in India, the experimenter sa} x s, "The result of our extended 

 and thorough trial proves conclusively that prickly pear has hardly 

 any value as a cattle feed.'- In the experiments referred to, the cactus 

 was roasted in order to remove the spines. The experience of Amer- 

 ican feeders indicates that the unfavorable results in these experiments 

 may be due to the method of preparation of the material. They may 

 also, of course, be due to differences in the species used, but the fact 

 that practically all forms of cactus found in this country make very 

 good famine feed would point to a different conclusion. The cattle on 

 experiment in these investigations in India at no time consumed over 

 25 pounds of cactus per day, while numerous instances are known 

 where cattle in this country have eaten 100 pounds or more per day. 



It would seem that when fed with a limited amount of cotton-seed 

 meal, properly prepared cactus is readily eaten in large quantities and 

 that it has considerable feed value. Prickly pear has undoubtedly 

 saved many herds in famine years and thus prevented the wiping out 

 of the ranchers' capital— often the result of years of patient labor. 



Other publications will be issued as the investigations now in prog- 

 ress are completed. These investigations are being conducted by Dr. 

 David Griffiths, of this Office, under the direction of the Agrostologist. 

 In this work we are cooperating extensively with the New Mexico 

 Experiment Station and with a large number of stockmen in the South- 

 west. 



W. J. Spillman, 

 Agrostologist in Charge. 



Office of Grass and Forage Plant Investigations, 



Washington, D. 6'., December 5, 190 >£. 



